The King's Son Who Feared Nothing

There was once a king's son who was no longer happy staying at home in his father's castle. He was not afraid of anything, so he thought, "I will go out into the wide world. There the time will not seem long to me, and I shall see plenty of wonders." So he said goodbye to his parents and set off. He walked on and on from morning till night, and whichever way his path led was fine with him.

It happened that he came to the house of a giant. He was so tired that he sat down by the door to rest. As he looked around, he saw the giant's toys lying in the yard. There were a couple of enormous balls and ninepins as tall as a man. After a while he decided to set up the ninepins and roll the balls at them. He shouted and cheered when the ninepins fell, and had a merry time.

The giant heard the noise and stuck his head out of the window. He saw a man no taller than other men playing with his ninepins. "Little worm!" cried the giant. "Why are you playing with my balls? Who gave you the strength to do it?" The king's son looked up, saw the giant, and said, "Oh, you blockhead! You think only you have strong arms. I can do anything I want."

The giant came down and watched the bowling with great admiration. He said, "Child of man, if you are that kind of person, go and bring me an apple from the tree of life." "What do you want with it?" asked the king's son. "I don't want it for myself," answered the giant. "I have a bride who wishes for it. I have travelled far and wide and cannot find the tree." "I will soon find it," said the king's son. "And I don't know what could stop me from getting the apple down."

The giant said, "You really think it is so easy! The garden where the tree stands is surrounded by an iron fence. In front of the fence lie wild beasts, one next to the other.

They keep watch and let no one in." "They will surely let me in," said the king's son. "Yes, but even if you get into the garden and see the apple hanging on the tree, it is still not yours. A ring hangs in front of it.

Anyone who wants to reach the apple and break it off must put his hand through the ring. No one has ever had the luck to do that." "That luck will be mine," said the king's son.

Then he left the giant and set off over mountain and valley, through plains and forests, until at last he came to the wondrous garden. The beasts lay all around it, but they had put their heads down and were asleep. They did not wake when he stepped up to them. So he stepped over them, climbed the fence, and got safely into the garden.

There, in the very middle, stood the tree of life. The red apples shone on the branches. He climbed up the trunk to the top. As he reached out for an apple, he saw a ring hanging in front of it. He thrust his hand through the ring without any difficulty and picked the apple. The ring closed tightly around his arm, and suddenly he felt a huge strength flowing through his veins.

When he climbed down from the tree with the apple, he did not want to climb back over the fence. Instead, he grabbed the great gate. He only had to shake it once before it sprang open with a loud crash. He walked out, and the lion that had been lying outside woke up and sprang after him. But the lion was not angry or fierce. It followed him humbly like a master.

The king's son took the giant the apple he had promised and said, "See, I have brought it without any trouble." The giant was glad that his wish had been fulfilled so quickly. He hurried to his bride and gave her the apple. She was a beautiful and wise maiden.

When she did not see the ring on his arm, she said, "I will never believe that you brought the apple until I see the ring on your arm." The giant said, "I only have to go home and get it." He thought it would be easy to take the ring from the weak man by force if he would not give it willingly.

So he demanded the ring from the king's son, but the king's son refused. "Where the apple is, the ring must be as well," said the giant. "If you won't give it to me willingly, you must fight me for it."

They wrestled for a long time, but the giant could not beat the king's son because he was strengthened by the magic power of the ring. Then the giant thought of a trick. He said, "I have grown hot from fighting, and so have you.

Let's bathe in the river and cool ourselves before we start again." The king's son, who knew nothing of lies, went with him to the water. He took off his clothes and the ring from his arm and jumped into the river. The giant snatched the ring and ran away with it.

But the lion, who had seen the theft, chased the giant, tore the ring out of his hand, and brought it back to his master.

Then the giant hid behind an oak tree. While the king's son was busy putting his clothes back on, the giant jumped out and put both his eyes out.

Now the unhappy king's son stood there blind and did not know what to do. The giant came back to him, took him by the hand as if he wanted to guide him, and led him to the top of a high cliff.

There he left him standing, thinking, "Just two more steps and he will fall down and kill himself. Then I can take the ring." But the faithful lion had not abandoned its master. It held him by his clothes and slowly pulled him back.

When the giant came to rob the dead man, he saw that his trick had failed. "Isn't there any way to destroy such a weak child of man?" he said angrily to himself. He seized the king's son and led him back to the cliff by another path.

But the lion, who saw his evil plan, helped his master escape danger again. When they had almost reached the edge, the giant let go of the blind man's hand and was about to leave him there.

But the lion pushed the giant, who fell down and was dashed to pieces on the ground.

The faithful animal again pulled its master away from the cliff and guided him to a tree beside a clear stream. The king's son sat down there. The lion lay down and splashed water in his face with its paws.

As soon as a couple of drops wet his eye sockets, he could see a little. He noticed a small bird flying very close by. It hit the trunk of a tree and hurt itself. Then it went down to the water and bathed itself.

After that it flew up and flew between the trees without touching them, as if it had recovered its sight. Then the king's son recognized a sign from God. He bent down to the water, washed and bathed his face.

When he stood up, his eyes were brighter and clearer than ever before.

The king's son thanked God for his great mercy and travelled on with his lion. At last he came to an enchanted castle. In the gateway stood a maiden of beautiful shape and fine face, but she was completely black.

She spoke to him and said, "Ah, if only you could free me from the evil spell that has been cast on me!" "What must I do?" asked the king's son. The maiden answered, "You must spend three nights in the great hall of this enchanted castle.

But you must let no fear enter your heart. They will do their worst to torment you. If you bear it without making a sound, I will be free. Your life they dare not take." The king's son said, "I have no fear. With God's help I will try."

So he went cheerfully into the castle. When it grew dark, he sat down in the large hall and waited. Everything was quiet until midnight. Then suddenly a great uproar began. Out of every hole and corner came little devils. They behaved as if they did not see him.

They sat down in the middle of the room, lit a fire, and began to gamble. When one of them lost, he said, "This is not right. Someone is here who does not belong to us.

It's his fault that I am losing." "Wait, you fellow behind the stove, I'm coming!" shouted another. The screaming became even louder, so loud that no one could have heard it without being terrified. But the king's son sat quite still and was not afraid.

At last the devils jumped up and fell upon him. There were so many that he could not defend himself. They dragged him around the floor, pinched him, pricked him, beat him, and tormented him. But not a sound escaped him. Towards morning they disappeared.

He was so exhausted that he could barely move his limbs. When dawn came, the black maiden came to him. She carried a small bottle of the water of life. She washed him with it, and at once he felt all his pain disappear and new strength flow through his veins.

She said, "You have held out successfully for one night, but two more remain." Then she left. As she went, he noticed that her feet had turned white.

The next night the devils came and began their games again. They attacked the king's son and beat him much harder than the night before, until his body was covered with wounds. But he bore everything quietly, so they had to leave him. When dawn appeared, the maiden came and healed him with the water of life. As she left, he saw with joy that she had become white to her fingertips.

Now he had only one more night to endure, but it was the worst. The hobgoblins came again. "Are you still here?" they cried. "We will torment you until your breath stops!" They pricked him and beat him and threw him here and there.

They pulled him by the arms and legs as if they wanted to tear him apart. But he bore everything and never uttered a cry. At last the devils vanished. He lay fainting and did not move.

He could not even raise his eyes to see the maiden who came in and sprinkled and bathed him with the water of life. But suddenly he was free from all pain and felt fresh and healthy, as if he had woken from sleep.

When he opened his eyes, he saw the maiden standing by him. She was snow-white and as fair as day. "Rise," she said, "and swing your sword three times over the stairs. Then everything will be set free." He did that, and the whole castle was released from the enchantment.

The maiden was a rich king's daughter. The servants came and said that the table was already set in the great hall and dinner was served. So they sat down and ate and drank together. In the evening the wedding was celebrated with great joy.